MD Complete Skincare Is Dermatologist Level

MD Complete is advertised as skincare made simple ... indeed, it is. The preparations are mixed to deliver "dermatologist level" results. The high concentrated ingredients are reported to be active, potent, multitasking, effective and long-lasting. And based on ingredients, the claims are true. 

There are 2 formulas: the green label treats acne, and the blue label combats the effects of aging.

The items are sold separately, but the kits tend to be the best value. As an example for anti-aging: the New Wrinkle & Radiance Trio helps to erase lines and wrinkles, as well as, improve skin tone.

Here's what you get in the kit: 

Step 1) is the Eye Wrinkle Corrector - A pea size amount has retinol and peptides to improve the look of crow's feet and fine lines. Step 2) is the Retinol Vitamin C Concentrate - to nourish, hydrate and moisturize the skin. Step 3) is a Wrinkle & Radiance Remedy - Apply 1-2 pumps of active ingredient Tretinoin .025, a retinol used to increase cell turnover and speed up the production of collagen. The cost of the trio is $69; however, with deals for new customers, I paid about $62. (It works out to $20.33 for each product, which is a great price for high concentrations of anti-aging ingredients.) Definitely look for coupons before ordering.

Here's the nub: MD Complete skincare is excellent, like The Ordinary brand but costs a bit more. What is good (and bad) about the line is: MD Complete does the work for you by combining ingredients to address your skin issues. You only have to know what you want to treat ... be it: acne, aging, or rosacea, etc. With The Ordinary, you need to study their website to learn which ingredients are right for the problems you are treating, then layer your skincare products to address each issue (such as fine lines, brightening your complexion, reducing puffy eyes, etc.). 

While both companies have highly effective skincare based on science (and the concentration of ingredients), I probably love The Ordinary more (as I do study skincare), because it's cheaper. Nonetheless, since The Ordinary flies off the shelves quickly, it's helpful to have other brands to buy. And  ... we ADORE ♥new finds♥, don't we, dear readers? MD Complete is sold at Target, which is handy! Finally, a fun fact: Singer Marie Osmond uses and is part owner of the brand. 

It's exciting how new lower-cost retailers are changing the skincare industry, making top products and ingredients budget-friendly so we can afford to use them every day!


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The Ordinary: Haircare Rooted In Skincare

The Ordinary, famous for offering effective skincare based on science at fair and affordable prices, just launched new haircare products on March 8th that are also rooted in the science of skincare.

Introducing a trio of products led by science to gently cleanse, condition, and hydrate the scalp and hair. It makes perfect sense: After all the scalp is an area of the body consisting of skin with oil glands. The new hair products which are rooted in skincare include:

Sulphante 4% Cleanser for Body and Hair - It contains SLES-2, a milder sulfate formulated to be gentle on the scalp and clean the hair without color fade. Usually we think of sulfates as bad, but The Ordinary re-engineered the chemicals to make them mild and effective.

Behentrimonium Chloride 2% Conditioner - Lightly coats the hair strands for a soft, smooth effect that tames and conditions the hair without weighing it down.

Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA for Scalp -  A milky serum that includes hyaluronic acid and squalene (ingredients naturally produced within the skin) to hydrate and protect the scalp skin barrier. Massage a few drops into your scalp daily for treatment.

This trio of new products join a 4th older one:

Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density - A concentrated peptide serum created to make hair look thicker, denser, fuller, and healthier.

These hair products come from a company committed to giving customers budget-friendly products with good, clean ingredients backed by science that truly work. One or more of them may be right for you!

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Anti-Aging Beauty To Put On Your Radar: 3 Products For Daytime

As readers know, a focus of THE SAVVY SHOPPER is to find over-the-counter skincare that really works, i.e., serums and moisturizers which contain all the potent anti-aging ingredients medical science says are effective for less. Not every product is dirt cheap, yet when sold at retailers like Target, Walmart, Ultra, local drugstores, and Amazon, you can take advantage of deals to further lower the cost of already well-priced products. When you see the 2-for-1 deals and markdowns, etc., it's the time to pounce!

The following are 3 Anti-Aging Skincare Items For Your Daytime regiment:

1) Roc Multi Correxion Revive + Daily Glow Vitamin C -  Forumated with 10% vitamin C to brighten and tighten skin. Dermatologists tell us the only true serum we need for our daytime skincare routine is a vitamin C serum with the right combination of other ingredients like vitamin E to help the vitamin C work better. As we age the production of our collagen and skin cell turnover slows down. A potent vitamin C blend used daily helps to speed it up again! The serum is all you really need to buy but in winter some customers may like to apply a heavier cream formula to fight dry skin.

The next 2 recommendations are for 2 sunscreens -- our numero ono, most important, bar none, anti-aging skincare potion. The skin doctors recommend wearing sunscreen every day of the year: summer days, sunny days, autumn days, winter days, snowy days, spring days, and rainy days. Why is something like the sun's golden rays that feels so good so aging to the skin especially noticeable on our face where we don't want lines, wrinkles, and age spots? It just is! 

It's vital to let 15 minutes of the sun hit our skin about twice a week for the very necessary production of vitamin D for our overall good health, yet if the sun hits the area of my face, personally I react like the Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West as she is melting because she got hit with a bucket of water! To avoid the drama and public spectacle, I take the preventative step of wearing visors and hats outdoors in summer for the purpose of shielding my face from the sun, averting the alarm followed by a meltdown; and no one is the wiser!😉

2) Cocokind Daily SPF 32 - A mineral-based sunscreen that uses non-nano zinc oxide; protects against UVA and UVB rays; defends skin against blue light and pollution; plus is lightweight and non-greasy.

3) Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen 30+ (or 50+) Sensitive Skin - A mineral sunscreen containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide offering both UVA and UVB protection for sensitive skin. The formula goes on white yet turns invisible as you rub it into your skin. Sun protection of 30 is plenty. What is important with sun protection is reapplying sunscreen every few hours. The dangers of the higher numbers include they don't provide much more or greater protection to the degree people think, and people then don't reapply sunscreen as often as they should. This brand is also water-resistant.

Knowledge (equipped with plenty of elixir choices) is a consumer's best friend in finding the best deals. You'll know which brands are stellar and recognize a good price. So put these 3 additional beauty products on your radar for daytime use.  When the price is right, try them!

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Naomi Watts' Stripes Hydrating Serum

Photo: Oprah Daily

The talented and beautiful actress Naomi Watts has developed a skin and hair care line of products called Stripes which for now is exclusively sold at Sephora. Her hydrating serum is getting a lot of media buzz and customers with dry skin give it positive reviews for its effectiveness. But at $80 a pop, I'll spotlight 3 worthy alternatives for less moola. I always say it doesn't matter how good a product is if you go broke using it daily. 

So let's examine what ingredients are in the Stripes serum to
treat dry skin that also has some anti-aging benefits:

💥Ectoine - protects and moisturizes the skin sometimes it's an ingredient in sunscreen.

💥 Mushroom extract - a skin hydrator, it mimics hyaluronic acid, and the antioxidants in mushrooms (selenium and vitamin C) fight free radicals giving it anti-aging properties.

 💥 Hyaluronic acid - reduces the look of fine lines by locking in moisture.

When you are trying to substitute less pricey beauty products for expensive skincare, you may not be able to find the exact ingredient for ingredient matches and yet sometimes you can either come darn close or find products with ingredients that do much the same thing, i.e., give you similar benefits of the ingredients in the expensive product. 

Start by asking what is the main function of the expensive serum? In the case of the Stripe serum, it tells us in its name. The primary purpose isn't anti-aging, it's to hydrate the skin. {In fact, the holy grail of an anti-aging serum is retin-A or its non-prescription derivative retinol. Stripe has a retinol serum that also sells for $80. On THE SAVVY SHOPPER you'll find a ton of effective retinol serums for less with a search.}

Excellent Substitutes For Less include:

1) e.l.f. Superhydrate Gel Moisturizer  - is a moisturizing gel with mushroom extract, squalane, vitamins B3 and E, and cica (an herb rich in fatty acids, vitamins, and amino acids that is used in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicines). It's the closest match if you're intent on using a cheaper beauty serum with mushroom extract. 

If you focus on only Stripe's main function to hydrate the skin other worthy substitutes are:

2) The Ordinary Natural Moisturer Factors + HA - Contains Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Sodium PCA, PCA, Lactates, Lactic Acid, and Minerals. The Ordinary has an entire category of different hydrating serums and I'll name this one product but link you to the entire line so you can compare and contrast what's too numerous to list!

3) CeraVe face moisturizers - Developed by dermatologists and sold in drugstores. Frankly, all the CeraVe formulas for face and body are so mild and moisturizing that in winter I use both to hydrate my face without issues. CeraVe makes facial moisturizers for AM or PM, with the AM formula containing the addition of sunscreen, so you won't have to buy or apply sun protection separately. All contain hyaluronic acid and ceramides (lipids naturally found in the skin) and MEV (multivesicular emulsion) technology, a delivery system to make ingredients more hydrating and lasting. The CVS and Walmart store brands are identical. We are beyond fortunate to have skin doctor-created moisturizers in drugstore aisles!

Creating and marketing a skincare line isn't easy. It takes research, finding backers with deep pockets, and a ton of hard work to get it on the market, so I have nothing but respect for Naomi Watts for achieving it. Nonetheless, not everyone can afford $160 for 2 serums: a hydrator and retinol, the barebones of what you need for daytime and nighttime skincare.

With knowledge of anti-aging ingredients that really work and skincare brands, you can save $130 - $145 per purchase simply by selecting the right substitutions. My gosh ... inadvertently this entire week has become a skincare trilogy as I couldn't stop writing about it!😆 Linked below are the other 2 blogs if you wish to read all 3 blogs = the week of a skincare trilogy.🤣🤣🤣

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Brad Pitt Launches Genderless Skincare

Hey Brad, "you don't impress me much."🎵♩♪ I lie, I'm a fan girl.

Le Domaine is the new 4-piece genderless skincare line launched by actor, Brad Pitt, who won an Academy Award for best supporting actor in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2020) after a distinguished acting and producing career in film. With 12 nominations, it's lovely knowing he won for such a stellar role. Moreover, last week Mr. Pitt made a surprise debut as a sculptor of 9 pieces at a Finnish art gallery in Tampere, where he hung out with friends, musician Nick Cave and artist Thomas Houseago. Isn't he the coolest? He also has a longtime interest in architecture; the environment; humanitarian causes; and now this multifaceted human has paired with winemaker, Marc Perrin, to develop a luxury, clean and green skincare line. 

The brand has 4 products derived from grapes, namely: (1) The Cleansing Emulsion, (2) The Serum, (3) The Cream, and (4) The Fluid Cream. Each is packed with mighty antioxidants that are extracted from wine phenolic compounds. Not only do they pamper and moisturize your face, but they also fight free radicals and reportedly, over time, slow down aging. Cheap, the skincare is not, and I predict if successful, 2 future things will happen: (a) Le Domaine will add potent retinol and/or bakuchiol (a gentle retinol alternative) to its formula; and (b) one of the deluxe advent calendars (like Liberty of London, Fenwick, Space NK, etc.) will offer it in one of its drawers. Perhaps it will be The Cream, Mr. Pitt's favorite item.

Photo: Courtesy of Doctorly. Retinoids are not in Le Domaine products, but I say they will be added one day. 

As it turns out once upon a time in Soho, Brad and I stood on the same street corner waiting for a red light to change. He was alone carrying a large canvas wrapped in brown paper, and I was on my way to Cafe Roma with a friend. A hometown friend, so what lucky timing and fun to see him! Needless to say, we did not bother him ... but we really, really wanted to say hi!

Obviously, Brad's new skincare line is pricey and more than we need to spend for good skincare, so I'm not sure who its target market is. Used daily, the expense would run into hundreds if not thousands of dollars per year. But. If I see it displayed in an upscale shop, I'll sample it. Presently it's only sold online, so let me link you up, my awesome readers, for a browse! 👉 Introducing Le Domaine. 

I can see Mr. Brad Pitt following Paul Newman one day in using profits from a business he starts for good causes he supports. He impresses me as a guy of purpose. What do you think? THE SAVVY SHOPPER wishes him continued success in all his endeavors!💋💜

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ArtNaturals Beauty Serums Plus

Starts affordable before a promotion.

As previously mentioned, I aim to find more science-based skincare for less money. When we use skincare every single day (which we should!), we need them to work without breaking the bank. Lately drugstores have really stepped up their game making my quest a lot easier. You'll find some amazing beauty lotions and potions in the aisles that are potent enough to go toe to toe with their pricey luxury counterparts. And I'm featuring one of them here today.

ArtNaturals is formulated to free beauty from high prices and toxic chemicals, as well as, offer the right combinations and concentrations of high-quality anti-aging ingredients that have proven to be effective time and again.

This "natural" beauty line includes skincare, haircare, beauty tools, and vitamins for men and women. I recommend starting with their Age Defying Serum Trio set. The price is unbeatable as you will have to pay 3 - 4 - 5 times more for the equivalent ingredients elsewhere. 

The serum set includes everything a face needs for glowing skin:

1) Hyaluronic Serum - for intense moisture (good for daytime use).

2) 2.5% Retinol  Serum - to fight fine lines and wrinkles (best for nighttime use).

3) Vitamin C Serum - brightens and corrects/protects the skin from the sun and free radicals. It also contains vitamin E and Ferulic Acid which is said to make Vitamin C work better (good for daytime use and some folks use it at night with moisturizers but never with retinol).

ArtNaturals is sold at drugstores, Target, Walmart, and Ultra which means you will sometimes find the products under $10 a bottle, thereby saving even more by shopping around and watching for sales.

[Ultra sells The Ordinary line of skincare -- also under $15 a product. I'm a big fan of The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% ($5.80); Buffet - a combination of anti-aging peptics ($14.80); and its Retinols in Squalane ($5.80). If using The Ordinary line, you must know what skin issues you're trying to prevent or fix in order to select the right items for you. But. Choice is always awesome for folks on a budget. It opens the door to savings.]

Top-notch skincare you can afford to use daily!

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The Barebones Anti-aging Skincare Products You Need

It so happens I have 3 friends who want to take better care of their skin and have asked for my advice on skincare products. I love it!😍 

Photo: Depositphotos

In suggesting stellar products to my 3 friends I know 4 important details:

a) What they want their skincare to do: Target lines, wrinkles and dark spots as much as possible with anti-aging ingredients; 

b) A simple and easy routine:

c) Products that work without being too strong for their virgin skin;

d) Potions that are affordable and highly effective (i.e., backed by science without sticker shock).

We are also in the midst of inflation with people wisely economizing and trying to get the most bang for a buck. So without further ado, here are my rock-bottom with the least amount of steps recommendations, a/k/a --

A Skincare Routine With the Least Amount of Products For Less Money:

1) Wash your face with Noxema Cleansing Cream - It contains eucalyptus and camphor, anti-inflammatories used in Ayurvedic medicine. Cost: $4.47.

2) Treat your face by starting with The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane and work your way up to The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid in Squalane 5% - Retinol/Retinoid converts to retinoic acid the Holy Grail of anti-aging ingredients. Cost: $7.50 - $14.95.

3) Moisturize your face with The Inkey List Bakuchiol - It has 1% bakuchiol, the new anti-aging wonder is backed up by a 2-blind scientific study showing it works, as well as, retinol. 1% is double the concentration tested in the study. Also, bakuchiol plays nice with other skin care products, so you can layer it without canceling the benefits of any other anti-aging ingredients you may be using. Cost: $11.49. {Learn more about the InkeyList here.}

4) Protect your face with the daily use of sunscreen such as Olay Sensitive Skin SPF 15 - SPF 50 - SPF 15 is a lightweight formula and provides sufficient protection as long as you reapply it every few hours. Higher SPF numbers don't give you much more protection, yet you don't need to reapply them as often. Doctors often recommend SPF 30 or SPF 50 because patients forget to reapply their sun protection. Walmart has an I can't tell the difference knockoff brand, Equate Beauty All-Day Broad Moisturizing Lotion, SPF 15. Cost $3.50 {complared to Olay's $10}.

The grand total of my suggested barebones, anti-aging-beauty-elixirs is $26.96.💋

How do 4 products and 4 steps that have you covered in anti-aging ingredients for under $30 sound? The whole shebang ... ultra budget-friendly and without compromise!🎯

🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴🧴

Honorable Mention for All Skin Types - the new one-step face serum for both morning and night:

2 ounces of a 1% bakuchiol serum from Imagine Dermatology for $16.12 is a steal! The formula also includes green, white and chamomile teas; hyaluronic acid, niacinamide (vitamin B3); glycolic acid; and, rosemary. You could use it in the morning (replacing Vitamin C serum if you use it) to brighten your skin and again at night (replacing retinol) to erase lines and wrinkles, plus this serum improves elasticity by increasing the production of collagen. Bakuchiol serums are gentle for sensitive skin that won't tolerate retinol.

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Skincare For French Girl Beauty

Today I'd like to introduce you to 5 French moisturizing beauty products which have a cult-like following in France. Believe it or not, each is reasonably priced not often the case for anything with a French label. Countering Chanel, Laura Mercier, Anne Semonin, and Dior beauty, the following French skincare products are in the $14 - $25 range.

1) Nuxe (top image👆) is a brand that uses botanicals to nourish, repair, and beautify. The Huile Prodigieuse Oil contains nourishing Tsubaki oil to treat the face, body, and hair. It leaves your skin soft and silky and your hair with a healthy shine.

2) Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre is a daily face and body cream. It acts as a (1) moisturizer, (2) makeup primer, (3) makeup remover, and (4) skin mask. Good for all skin types, the lait cream is non-comedogenic with a sweet floral scent. French women often apply it after a face serum, especially in cold, dry months.

3) Mustela Hydra Bebe Body Lotion is a daily moisturizer for babies yet loved by the whole family. Containing avocado, jojoba, and sunflower oil -- gentle and non-greasy -- it absorbs quickly to soften and protect the skin. This body lotion is a staple in a French home.

4) La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Therapeutic Multi-Purpose Cream - Rich in shea butter, this multi-taster hydrates dry and irritated skin on the face, lips, body, and hands. It is a non-greasy, non-sticky skin balm containing vitamin B5 and thermal mineral-rich spring water leaving a matte finish. Great for babies over 4 months old and anyone with sensitive skin. The entire La Roche-Posay skincare line is a go-to brand found in the aisle of a French pharmacy. 

5) Let's return to the Nuxe brand for its popular, rich, nourishing Reve de Miel lip balm. The ingredients include beeswax, shea butter, olus oil, sweet almond oil, honey, rosa moschata seed oil, and sunflower seed oil to treat and soothe dry, damaged lips. Wow, leave it to the French to know how to bump up a chapstick!😎

France is known for its stellar quality and natural approach to beauty, and now 5 of the country's secrets are out for us to try! All are time-tested skincare products in achieving that reputed Beauté fille française (French girl beauty) without breaking the bank!

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TruSkin Skincare

Nowadays you no longer need to spend a fortune on skincare as so many effective products are in the aisles at Target, Walmart, Amazon, and local drugstores, there's no need to look elsewhere! Selling at affordable prices -- with monthly promotions to boot -- making transformative skincare almost a steal!

TruSkin is a brand committed to producing advanced premium formulas with superior ingredients in the right combinations and potencies. It's made in the USA without fillers or animal testing. The elixirs treat all skin concerns, and they are budget-friendly, which is exactly what we want! After you know what you desire to be treated, you can select skin products that are right for you to do the job.

I will feature a few of the company's offerings:

1. Vitamin C Serum - To nourish the skin and fight free radicals. Creates a glow by treating dark spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin tone. Use every morning.

2. Retinol Serum - Improves fine lines, wrinkles, skin tone, skin texture, color, pigmentation, as well as your skin's hydration levels. Clinical-strength retinol that is gentle enough for sensitive skin. Use nightly.

3. Hyaluronic Acid Serum - Supercharged with a powerful anti-aging complex that includes Vitamins C and E, Green Tea, Aloe Vera, and MSM to plump the skin with moisture. Use in winter, or as needed to soothe dry skin.

4. Tea Tree Super Serum+ - A blemish-bursting blend that includes tea tree essential oil, vitamin C, retinol, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. Use 2 - 3 nights per week, or as a spot treatment.

5. Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer - Layer up with this ultra-hydrating vitamin C brightening cream containing Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, and Salicylic Acid. It targets discoloration, firmness, fine lines, and blemishes. Use daily or as needed to "cocoon" the skin so it stays soft and supple.

6. Retinol Moisturizer - Provides a layer of moisturizing cream to your face that contains hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, B5 green tea, and propolis. Improve fine lines, wrinkles, skin tone, skin texture, color, pigmentation, as well as your skin's hydration levels. Use nightly.

TruSkin has a wide selection of affordable cleansers, toners, moisturizers, treatments, sizes, and skincare kits for every type of skin ... and it's so convenient to find. I found it at CVS. Next time you go to your local drugstore, check the beauty aisle.

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Use SPF Face Cream All Year Around

Lumin (black) is sunscreen for men, so I've never tried it.

After my morning shower I apply face cream (or lotion) over a face serum every day of the year. Only in the month of August during those dog days of heat and humidity could I skip the step of hydrating my face if desired, however, I don't do so. The reason why is we need to use sunscreen every day of the year to prevent aging (lines, wrinkles and dark sun spots), plus more importantly, skin cancer. Therefore I use a multi-tasking face moisturizer with SPF 15 or higher. Without. Fail. Every. Day. Of. The. Year. 

As we've moved from summer into fall, you may have noticed your skin is getting dryer. I have, and if a dry face bothers you as it does me, you may need to add a face cream to your daily routine, so why not select one that also contains the sun protection you should be wearing daily? Kill two birds with one stone and done!

Allow me to highlight 6 SPF [Sun Protector Factor] face moisturizers whose light, non-greasy consistency I like, as well as, give you the pros and cons of the choices I don't buy:

1) Olay moisturizers come in broad spectrum SPF 15, 30, and 50. I've tried all the formulas but stick with the Olay Complete with SPF 15 -- the most generous size. The sun protection is zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which I prefer to more questionable chemicals. All of the Olay formulas are creamy and greaseless, but the SPF 50 has a thicker consistency than the SPF 15. The Olay Complete 15 Sensitive formula works for me as it moisturizes while disappearing into my skin. With a lower SPF of 15, you simply need to reapply it every 2 hours if out and about in direct sunlight all day. SPF 30 or SPF 50 doesn't provide significantly more protection, but you can stretch the duration of reapplying them. There is none better than the Olay formulas and they are dirt cheap too!

2) Eucerin Daily Protection Moisturizing Face Lotion SPF 30 - It's much like Olay, as is the Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Facial Moisturizer with Total Soy Complex and Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen, and all 3 brands are inexpensive and conveniently available at your local drugstore. Olay was the earliest to appear on the market and for this reason, is usually the easiest brand to find, but all 3 are comparable, which lets you grab whichever brand goes on sale when you need one.

3) CeraVe 100% Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 Face - Contains the usual suspects of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide along with the extra beneficial skincare ingredients of hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and ceramides. Dermatologists like that CeraVe puts ceramides (a family of waxy lipid molecules) in it's skincare products to fortify our skin barrier.

4) Laroche Posay Anthelios Face 60 - The customer raves are for the European formula of Anthelios which contains Mexoryl, a patented UVA blocker that is highly stable and approved in Europe and Canada, but not approved by the FDA for use in the USA. The European version is light, thin, absorbent, and doesn't degrade after hours of sun exposure. Laroche is a skincare brand dermatologists universally recommend, but it's expensive. To be honest, I like the brand, but don't tend to buy it. IMHO you can find as good for less.

5) Paula's Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 - Paula's Choice is very good skincare, not the most expensive on the list, and yet still pricey if using it every day. Repeated buys add up! With a bit of research, you can often find the same ingredients from less costly competitors. Nonetheless, P.C. is stellar skincare, not crazy expensive, and perhaps sometimes worth a splurge. You decide for yourself.

6. Neutrogena Age Shield Face Oil-Free Sunscreen 70 - Neutrogena has SPF 30, 50, or 70 face moisturizers galore in cream, lotion, or gel forms, and some with extra ingredients to benefit the skin. Personally, unless I need a particular ingredient to treat a skin issue, I buy the cheapest SPF moisturizer offered that I like. Since I use an anti-aging face serum under my moisturizer, it's the moisturizer with sunscreen I'm after. If our serum already has vitamin C or hyaluronic acid in it, we're covered. More isn't always better, so if the extra ingredient drives the price up, why pay more for it in a moisturizer?

Luckily I'm happy with Olay Complete 15 Sensitive as a moisturizer with sun protection since it's about as cheap as you can buy. Spend more when it matters, but you can save on the category of SPF face creams/lotions without compromise. There are a ton of quality selections for less in a drugstore aisle ... often under $10.🎀💙

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